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Three years ago I decided to go to an orthodontist to correct my lips which couldn't close properly.
My teeth were very slightly crowded but my smile was nice although a bit toothy.
My lower lip was bigger than my upper one and my mouth protruded.
The orthodontist said that I had bimaxillary protrusion and lip incompetence.

I was said that it couldn't be corrected without the extraction of my 4 first premolars.
I was very afraid when I learnt that I had to extract 4 healthy teeth!!! Moreover some people told me before that I had nice teeth.
But the orthodontist explained that my face would improve a lot : excellent lip contact, stronger chin and a well-balanced face.
Even if my smile would become a bit less wide.
I hesitated for months and finally I decided to go for the treatment.

So I started with the bicuspid extractions. I nearly cried when I see those huge gaps!
After I was fully braced for 32 months, but not only.
I had double powerchains too, during nearly all my treatment and a special wire with loops, to reinforce the retraction of my teeth.
I had elastics for 18 months, always with the strength "extra-heavy", above all with the Class II configuration but I wear the Class III and the triangular configuration too.
I was afraid during much time of my treatment of finishing with a sunken face and a flat profile because of the extractions.
But the orthodontist explained how bicuspid extractions are compulsory in people suffering from bimax protrusion and lip incompetence. So such side effects can't arrive in my case.

I am debraced now and I don't regret anything.
On the contrary, all the pain totally worth it!
I started now with the retainer phase (Essix and now bonded retainers on both jaws) and hope my protrusion won't come back.
My smile was broader before the treatment but a smaller mouth fits better in my face.

Here are photos of my before and my after.

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I went to the ortho one week ago to deal with my first 6 months after treatment.
So all is OK with my teeth and my face, nothing has changed since my braces had been off.
My teeth are straight and my lips stay perfectly competent.
But there is other improvements I didn't think about before starting my treatment :
- firstly I'm no longer a mouth breather thanks to the correction of my bimax protrusion.
- my pronunciation improved even if I still have a little lisp.
- I have much more self-confidence than before. As my teeth are less appearent, I don't hesitate to show a full smile (I had a complex about my too toothy smile before, even if my teeth were nice).
FInally, I had only beneficial changes thanks to treatment.